Amu: The International Chess Federation (FIDE) on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the Taliban’s reported ban on chess in Afghanistan, calling the move “regrettable” and warning it could have a lasting impact on the development of the sport in the country. In a statement, FIDE said it is in consultation with the International Olympic Committee,
Amu: Taliban have dismissed more than 200 professors and university employees in the southeastern provinces of Khost and Paktia as part of a sweeping campaign to downsize public institutions, according to four academic and administrative sources familiar with the matter. A source close to Sheikh Zayed University said many of those let go were seen
Amu: Taliban have dissolved the Afghan Film Organization, once the country’s only state-run film body, and closed its offices, according to four sources, including two familiar with the agency’s operations. No formal statement has been issued by the Taliban. However, staff have been informed that the institution’s structure has been nullified and its operations halted.
Afghanistan International: A court in Nairobi has approved the extradition of Zahir Qadir, former deputy speaker of Afghanistan’s House of Representatives, to the United States, according to his family. Qadir’s lawyer has requested a 14-day stay on the ruling, seeking time to file an appeal. The appeal is expected to be submitted within the next
Afghanistan International: The Taliban’s Sports Authority has formally suspended the Afghanistan Chess Federation, declaring the game of chess “haram” (forbidden under Islamic law), Afghanistan International has learned. The game has now been officially banned, following in the footsteps of other sports such as mixed martial arts, which were previously outlawed under similar justifications. Click here
Amu: Some analysts believe the mass dismissals are part of a broader Taliban effort to reshape the country’s academic institutions by removing independent or critical voices and replacing them with ideologically aligned figures. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: On Saturday, May 10, retired government employees once again protested in front of the Pension Treasury building, demanding their overdue pension payments. This marks the latest in a series of weekly protests, but the retirees say their grievances have been ignored by the authorities..Despite repeated requests, the retirees claim that relevant Taliban institutions have
8am: The purpose of this short piece is to challenge these deceptive and populist portrayals and to encourage my fellow citizens not to accept or internalize these misleading narratives. In what follows, I aim to dissect the Taliban’s security claims and untangle the knots of misinformation that have clouded public understanding. Click here to read
Afghanistan International: Citing informed diplomatic sources, the outlet stated that the Taliban supported Islamabad’s position on conducting an impartial investigation into the recent Pahalgam attack and chose to maintain its distance from the Indian bloc. Click here to read more (external link). Related Sirajuddin Haqqani meets with special envoys of China and Pakistan in Kabul
Afghanistan International: According to a statement released by the group, the attack targeted a Taliban checkpoint that had allegedly been used to harass local residents. The operation took place around 8:00 p.m. on Friday near the former headquarters of Police District 4 in Kunduz city. The AFF reported that the assault was carried out without